When you think no one listens, someone comes along and listens intently to you.  Real listeners wait until you are finished, pause to consider what you have said, then respond.  Because they listen in this way; we put our trust in them as we expose our deepest thoughts and desires.  Listeners are valued people in a world of massive distractions and noise pollutions that affect our ability to hear and understand. 

When you are a “captive audience,” you tend to listen more intently to what others have to say. 

Genesis 40

The Cupbearer and the Baker

Some time later, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt offended their master, the king of Egypt. ² Pharaoh was angry with his two officials, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, ³ and put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the same prison where Joseph was confined. ⁴ The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he attended them.

After they had been in custody for some time, ⁵ each of the two men—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were being held in prison—had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own.

⁶ When Joseph came to them the next morning, he saw that they were dejected. ⁷ So he asked Pharaoh’s officials who were in custody with him in his master’s house, “Why do you look so sad today?”

⁸ “We both had dreams,” they answered, “but there is no one to interpret them.”

Then Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams.”

⁹ So the chief cupbearer told Joseph his dream. He said to him, “In my dream I saw a vine in front of me, ¹⁰ and on the vine were three branches. As soon as it budded, it blossomed, and its clusters ripened into grapes. ¹¹ Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes, squeezed them into Pharaoh’s cup and put the cup in his hand.”

¹² “This is what it means,” Joseph said to him. “The three branches are three days. ¹³ Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your position, and you will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you used to do when you were his cupbearer. ¹⁴ But when all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison. ¹⁵ I was forcibly carried off from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing to deserve being put in a dungeon.”

¹⁶ When the chief baker saw that Joseph had given a favorable interpretation, he said to Joseph, “I too had a dream: On my head were three baskets of bread. ¹⁷ In the top basket were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head.”

¹⁸ “This is what it means,” Joseph said. “The three baskets are three days. ¹⁹ Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head and impale your body on a pole. And the birds will eat away your flesh.”

²⁰ Now the third day was Pharaoh’s birthday, and he gave a feast for all his officials. He lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker in the presence of his officials: ²¹ He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, so that he once again put the cup into Pharaoh’s hand— ²² but he impaled the chief baker, just as Joseph had said to them in his interpretation.

²³ The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Even though Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery, God used the situation to bless Joseph. First, an Egyptian officer entrusted his household to Joseph. When Joseph rejected the sexual advances of the officer’s wife, she falsely accused Joseph of rape and had him jailed. Again, even in prison, God developed Joseph’s character.

To fully experience God’s power, leaders must often endure hardship. Then they emerge to make their contribution—God’s way, in His perfect timing. 

The apostle Paul, the great missionary church planter and advisor, relates his suffering as the trials of weakness he needed to realize the strength and power of God!  “I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not.I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.  Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak without my feeling that weakness? Who is led astray, and I do not burn with anger?If I must boast, I would rather boast about the things that show how weak I am. God, the Father of our Lord Jesus, who is worthy of eternal praise, knows I am not lying.” 2 Corinthians 23-31, NIV

When Paul prayed to have his “thorn” of pain that caused another weakness, God answered with more power and strength to overcome!  “Then he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-11

God knows what He is doing!Trust Him.

Believer in God or not, God speaks in and through all people, created by Him, made in His own image.  This story of God working in and through the Egyptian king Pharoah, his cupbearer, his baker, along with Joseph who is the leader of all the jail mates; is proof that God is still in control of the situation, works through all kinds of people.  At the right time, His time, He will bring resolution for Joseph who is learning to be an obedient prophet and a leader guided by God’s wisdom, power, and strength. 

The cupbearer may have forgotten Joseph; but God did not. 

There is no one on earth that God does not love—”while we were yet sinners”—unbelievers, God demonstrated His love to the world by sending Jesus to pay for our sins.  He always has and always will love us.  The greatest demonstration of His love provided the Way out the mess we have made of our lives who live without Him.  The Way, the one and only Way, is Jesus, His Son.  God has not forgotten us.

God often develops leaders through humility and suffering. If you have a position of leadership, realize that suffering and success both come with the job. Both build character and ability. Take heart and be encouraged by the examples of Joseph and Jesus, two leaders who rose above suffering to lead, love, and forgive with hearts of mercy and grace.

It is God who will fill your souls with the joy of knowing He loves and His working on our behalf in Jesus Name for His glory. This joy is the joy Paul talks about that exists in our inner souls who believe God.  It is a joy that keeps our heads above the high waters of suffering, slander from others because we follow Jesus, with attacks on our character. 

Our response?

The quicker we can accept our problems today as opportunities for growth; the waves of God’s unending, eternal joy of His salvation at work within us will wash over us. His Peace is the gift He pours over us in the process of this growth.  His strength carries us in our weakness! “I will never leave or forsake you” is a promise that is firmly kept.

I know. He has done that for me.  Praise God from whom all blessings flow. 

Need help?  Look up!

I lift up my eyes to the hills.
    From where does my help come?
² My help comes from the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth.

³ He will not let your foot be moved;
    he who keeps you will not slumber.
⁴ Behold, he who keeps Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵ The Lord is your keeper;
    the Lord is your shade on your right hand.
⁶ The sun shall not strike you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

⁷ The Lord will keep you from all evil;
    he will keep your life.
⁸ The Lord will keep
    your going out and your coming in
    from this time forth and forevermore. Psalm 121

Lord,

Thank you for your rescue, help in times of troubles, provisions when we need it most, protection from our enemies—all because you love us. Thank you for your blessings of salvation that restores our joy—even in suffering. You are my strength in my weakness.

In Jesus Name, For Your Glory, Amen